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Pieces of Ringeck
The Definitive Edition of the Gloss of Sigmund Ainring

by Sigmund Ainring, Michael Chidester, and Dierk Hagedorn (foreword by Tea Kew)

Sigmund Ainring is one of the most important fencing masters of the Liechtenauer tradition. The only member of the fellowship of Liechtenauer to offer an explanation of his long sword teachings, Ainring’s treatise is part of the bedrock of HEMA today. Where previous books have focused on only one or two copies of his work, this new edition by Michael Chidester and Dierk Hagedorn incorporates all nine known manuscripts and allows us to fully appreciate the breadth of Ainring’s teachings.

Included is a new translation of Ainring’s gloss on the unarmored sword and the spear and sword in armor, on horse and on foot, streamlined for easier reading and based on 20 years of advancement in our understanding of Liechtenauer’s art; the translation of the long sword also includes illustrations from the Cluny Fechtbuch, the Glasgow Fechtbuch, and other sources for the first time. In addition, each copy of Ainring’s text is transcribed and translated separately, arranged side-by-side so they can be easily compared. To round this off, it features introductory material about Johannes Liechtenauer, Sigmund Ainring, Hans Medel, and Albrecht of Bavaria, as well as a discussion of the gloss tradition and the structure of Liechtenauer’s teachings and a codicological study of all nine manuscripts included in this book.

This is the first major work on Ainring in almost 20 years and the only one you’ll ever need.

Version: 1st edition (December 2024)
Length: 500 pages

Hardcover

Price: $59.99
ISBN: 978-1-953683-41-0
Dimensions: 7 ⅖ × 9 ⁷⁄₁₀ × 1 ¼ in.; 3 lbs.

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Contents

Foreword by Tea Kew …  i

Preface …  ⅲ
  Michael Chidester

Introduction: Why I used to despise the Sigmund Ringeck manuscript …  1
  Dierk Hagedorn

1. The fame of the manuscript–rightfully deserved, or not so much? … 1 ― 2. Master Sigmund, what was your name again? … 4 ― 3. Patron, master, and apprentice … 4 ― 4. Sigmund and the others … 6 ― 5. I would like to see some pictures, please … 8 ― 6. Get a nib–that could be a tad tidier … 10 ― 7. To lose one name may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose many looks like carelessness … 10 ― 8. Is it any good, though? … 12 ― 9. Conclusion … 15

1. Historical context …  17
  Michael Chidester

1.1. Johannes Liechtenauer, the grand master … 17 ― 1.2. Sigmund Ainring, the teacher … 22 ― 1.3. Hans Medel, the reviser … 23 ― 1.4. Albrecht, the student … 24 – 1.4.1. The many Wittelsbach Albrechts … 24 – 1.4.2. Albrecht Ⅲ ‘the Pious’ … 27 – 1.4.3. Connections to Liechtenauer … 30

2. Structure of the gloss …  33
  Michael Chidester

2.1. Text and gloss … 33 – 2.1.1. Hans Liechtenauer … 34 – 2.1.2. Hans Lecküchner … 40 – 2.1.3. Joachim Meyer … 41 ― 2.2. The structure of Liechtenauer’s Record … 41 – 2.2.1. The foreword … 42 – 2.2.2. Fencing with the ‘long’ sword … 42 – 2.2.3. Armored dueling on horse and on foot … 47

3. Combined translation …  51
  Michael Chidester

3.1. Long sword … 53 ― 3.2. Mounted fencing … 126 ― 3.3. Armored fencing … 139

4. Manuscript discussion …  153
  Michael Chidester

4.1. ɢꜰ-Glasgow fight book … 157 ― 4.2. ᴊᴍʀ-Joachim Meyer-Rostock … 166 ― 4.3. sʀ-Sigmund ain Ringeck fight book … 173 ― 4.4. Other manuscripts … 181 – 4.4.1. ᴀᴅ-Albrecht Dürer … 181 – 4.4.2. ᴀʀ-Anton Rast … 185 – 4.4.3. ʜᴍ-Hans Medel … 187 – 4.4.4. ʜs-Hans von Speyer … 189 – 4.4.5. ᴘ-Paris fight book … 191 – 4.4.6. ᴡᴘ-Willibald Pirckheimer … 193 ― 4.5. Comparison and analysis … 194 – 4.5.1. Long sword … 196 – 4.5.2. Armored fencing … 200 – 4.5.3. Mounted fencing … 201 – 4.5.4. Conclusion … 201

5. Reading apparatus …  205
  Michael Chidester & Dierk Hagedorn

5.1. Transcription notes … 205 ― 5.2. Translation notes … 206 ― 5.3. Layout notes … 207 ― 5.4. Long sword … 209 ― 5.5. Armored fencing … 363 ― 5.6. Mounted fencing … 416

Appendix 1: Hans Medel overflow …  443

Appendix 2: Rhyming Record translation …  445

Appendix 3: Concordance … 449

Glossary …  455

Bibliography …  463

About the authors …  487